Putting game



Aug. 26, 1930. N EE l,774,187

PUTTING GAME Filed March 26, 1928 INVENTOR.

Geor N.. ge

l RNEx from a distant point.

has ball retaining spaces 85 line 3-3, Figure 1'," y ,V r

rs'ection on the -line 45 The tray has a bottom-me Patented Aug, 26, 1930 .UNITED 'STATES PTENT .OFFICE- GEORGE;N. SEELEY, or DENVER, COLORADO 3 rUTTrNe GAME Application filed March 26, 1928. Serial No. 264,656;

This invention'relates to gamedevices and more particularly to devices for playingjin 'door'gamesby means of golf balls and .golf clubs;

It is an object of the' invention to provide a game-board especially adapted for the indoor practice of go-lf putting, :that may be conveniently placedon the floorof any room to provide a targetfor balls directedthereto taining-spaces, when the game is' ended, and' V Still other objects reside .principally in de- '25 tails of construction as will fullyappearin the course of the following description;

In the accompanyingdrawings; in which y like Characters of reference design ate corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure'l represents ,a plan- 'or top-view of the game-device, w

dinal Figure 2,' a longitu the line 2- 2, Figure`1, g V r Figure '3, a transverse section- ,along 'the Figure 4, a simila F igure 1, and

Figure 5, fa' perspective view 'of`th 'drawn to areduced scale'. v r

The device as shown,- comprises a tray' open at its forwardend to receive the balls directed to'it froma distan'tpointfand"composed 'of metahwood, cardboard or any other 3 suitable material.

'right rear flange7 opposite to its open end,

and' upright 'side flanges 8 adjoining the rear.

flange'and extending to the front end' ofthe device;

uperimp'ofsed on bottom :6,

section "taken 'onu,

mber 6, up-

provides the rid s', inclines and other f tures of. construction by which the balls are -retained 'anddirected, as will hereinafter be more fully explained. 1

It'is' to be understood in thisconnection, .that the bottom-member may be omitted, in which `case the device is supported by its flanges, and that other variations in the construction and relative arrangement of the parts of the device ma y beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. f

Abail consisting of two members 10 at,- i

tached; atthe sides of the tray, and' joined at their upper eXtremities by a tubular handle 12, servesto move' the device from one place to another and to empty it'of the accumulated balls, at the end of each game.

Referring further to the floor Qthatiproi vides the surface overwhich the'balls entering at thefront of the tray move to the varii ons retaining places,it is formed to provide, at the forward end of the surface, an inclined approach :1 3. Rearward 'of thefap'proach, the surface slopes slightly downwardly so that balls that have entered the trayacross" the approach, are compelled to move further inwa'rdly'and cannot pass; out of the tray. Before continuing-:the description of the 'formof the' floor surface, it-isto be observedg that at the forwardendof the tray the sur face' bears a Circular spot `llof ccntrasting 3 '-color, that forms-the target at which the` balls are aimed. The spot represents the The target is, centrally,inthe longitudinal axisofthe tray, and twopartitions 15,

partially parallel 'to said axis, extend 'across Zthe target at opposite sides of its center and :then *slant ,rearwardly, 'as at '15 side fianges of the tray'. :H l

V The parallel parts 1 5 of thepartitions., taper from thefrontedge of the inclined; 'approach upwardly and they define a central putting holeifnthe game of golf, `but since s l itis not defined'byany depressiomthe balls can pass across the same'without obstruction; I S

e "device,

to adjoin the l r runway 16, and at` opposite sides thereof,

v chambers 17 in which; the ballsthat didnot pass through the runway are received. j rearwardly sloping portion of the floor surface, back of the approach, in the chambers 17, also slopes outwardly to the points at which the slanting portions of the partitions adjoin the side flanges of the tray, the purpose of these slopes being to compel the balls entering the chambers to arrange themselves along the fianges, as indicated in broken lines at 18, in Figure 1.

The floor surface of the tray adj acent the end of the runway, slopes slightly upwardly toward the rear end of the tray, as at 19, in Figure 2, and from an imaginary central line 20, it slopes Sideways toward the side fianges of the tray. By virtue ofthese double slopes the balls entering the main chamber 26 of the device, are compelled to roll toward the sides thereof and arrange themselves in rows along the side flanges, as indicated at 21 in Figure 1. V j l Between the rear endiof the main chamber and the end flange of the tray are two transverse ridges 22 of inverted V shaped section,

'Which define two ledges 23 and 24 to receive the balls that pass beyond' the endof the chamber. The rearmost surface of each ridge slants toward the sides of the tray, as best shown in Figure to compel the balls to roll toward said sides and arrange themselves in rows on the ledges, as indicated at 25 in Figure 1.1 r

Having thus described the form and constructionof the game-device, the manner of its use inplayingthe putting game is as follows: r r

r The tray is placed .on and preferably ona mat,-rug or carpet, the surface of which somewhat resembles that of the ground of a golf course. The player or players .face the device at'a suitable distance from the open'end thereof, and direct balls of the type ordinarily used in the game of golf, toward the target by means of a standard putter or'other convenient' golf-club.

The balls crossing the target through the runway and into the main chamberare those which, in the actual game of golf,would have 'fallen into the putting hole, and in playing the game, these balls represent the highest score. V Balls passing at the' sides of the partitions into either of the two chambers 17, represent the balls which, in'the game of golf, would have rimmed the cup, and they either do 'not score or score negatively, as maybe determined by the rules of the game.` The balls entering the main chamber through the runway, but moving :with such forcethat they cross one or both of the ridges 22, represent the balls which, in the, game of golf, would have been driven with too much ,force to enterthe cup and would have jumped across the same.

Balls 'thus entering one of the ledges also would not score or score negatively as the case may het It isa thefioor of a room,

distinctive and important featureof balls one after another without any possiv bility of their interfering with each other.

After all the balls have been played they may be carried to and deposited at the point from which they were played, by lifting the tray by means of the handle and tilting itforwardly to empty it through its open end. The empty tray is subsequently placed again in its original position and both the tray and the balls are again at their proper-locations for another game.

It will be apparent that the game is not only entertaining, but requires considerable skill and, as such, provides a splendid means of practising putting in the game of golf.

The game may be played by one player or by two or more players in a competitive contest for recreation and the display of skill, and it is to be understood that the rules Which govern' its use may be varied indefinitely according to the requirements and inclinations of the players.

The tray may be made in any suitable proportions, but it requires, at its best, very little floor-space and is easily carried about or stored away when not in use.

The partitions l may bemade of flexible material to deaden the rebound of balls shot against it. These partitions are disposed at an angle to deflect balls that enter the side chambers 17' to the side flanges of the tray so that the balls will arrange themselves along said flanges. The partitions also serve as a running board upon emptying balls out of the tray after a round of play.

I claim:

1. A game-device comprising a tray having an open end and having a ball-directing floorsurface bearing, adjacent said end, a target of distinctive character to represent a put-- ting hole, and partitions extending across the target and defining a central runway, and ball-retaining chambers at opposite sides thereof. v

2. A game-device comprising a tray having an open end and having a'ball-directing floorsurface bearing, adjacent said end, a target of s distinctive character to represent a puttinghole, and partitions extending 'across the target and defining a central runway, and bal retaining chanbers at opposite sides thereof, the fioor-surfaces of the Chambers-being in-` clined to compel balls entering the Chambers to arrange themselves-in a row at a side thereof. V

3. A ame-device comprising a tray having an o en end and havin a'fioor-surface which adjacent said end, bears a target' of distinc-` tive character, and partitions at opposite sides of the center of thetarget, defining a runway across the target, and a ball-retaining chamber rearward of the same.- V

4:. A game-device comprising a tray having an open end and having a floor-surface Which,

adjacent said end, bears a target of distinctive character, and partitions at o posite sides of the center of the target, de ning a runway across the target, and a ball-retaining chamber real-Ward of the same, the floor surface sloping upwardly at the open end of the tray to provide an approach, and then dovvnvvardly to the chamber.

5. A game-device comprising atray having an open end and having' a floor-surface Which, adjacent said end, bears a target of distinctive character, and partitions at opposite sides of the center of the target, define ing a runway across the target, a ball-retaining chamber rearWard of the target and ball- V retaining chambers at opposite sides of the same.

6; A gamedevice comprising a tray having an open endand having. a'fioor-surface Which.` adjacent said end, bears a target of distinctive character, partitio'ns at opposite sides of the center of the target, 'defining a runWay across the target, and a ball-retain- 'ing chamber rearWard of the same, and a transverse ridge at the end of the chamber n opposite to the target, providing a ball-retaining ledge.

8. A'game-device comprisinga tray hav'- ing an open end and having a floor-surface Which,` adjacent said end, bears a 'target of sides of the center of the target, defining a distinctive character, partitions 'at' opposite runvvav across the target, and a ball-retaining chamber rearward of the same, and successive transverse ridges at the ch mber opposite to'the target. n

9. A game device'comprising a tray hav ing an open end and having a floor s nrface Wl'l10h, adiacent said end, bears a target of distinctive character, and nartitions at, oo-

posite sides of the center of the target, defin end of the Wise and Sideways to compel balls entering the Chambers to arrange themselves in a row at a side thereof.

' 11.' A game-device comprising a tray having an open end and having a floor-'surface Which, adjacent said end, bears a target of distinctive character, partitions at opposite sides of the center of the target, defining a runway across 'the target, and a ball-retain ing' chamber rearWard of the same, and a transverse ridge at the end of the chamber opposite to the target, providing a ball-retaining ledge, the floor-surface of the ledge being inclined to compel balls entering the ledge to move to an end thereof.

12. A game device comprising a tray having an open end and having a floor surface, Which, adjacent said end, bears a target of distinctive 'character, partitions extending acrossthe target, defining a runWav, and partitions joining said partitions to the sides of the tray and being at obtuse angles thereto to direct balls to the runvvay When the tray is tilted to remove the balls.

n 13. A game device comprisinga tray having an open end and having a floor surface, Which, adjacent said end, bears a targetnof distinctive character, and partitions atopposite sides of thecenter'of the target, but

spaced from the edges thereof, Whereby balls that Would rim the cup in 'agolf 'game n Will not pass between the partitions. r Y n V In testimony Whereof I haveafiixed my sigr nature. r

GEORGE N. SEELEY.

ing a runway across the target, and'a balll retaining chamber rearward of the same, the

floor-surface of the chamber sloping length- Wise and Sideways tocompelballs entering r a the chamber to arrange themselves in a row at a side thereof. 10. A game-device comprising atray 'hav- 'ng an open end and having a floor-surface llO 

